A Strange Encounter
by Souvraya
Summary: What happens when the purest of the pure runs into the most tainted of them all? [Shonenai, GaaraHaku]


Souvraya: This baby hasn't been betaed yet (will be soon though), but I just couldn't resist. I just had to post it and see how you people like it… ^ ^

Dedicated to my good friend Torgrim, who requested the pairing and gave me the idea for this story. Such an innocent comment ("I wonder what would happen if Gaara met Haku?") became such a long story. Thanks, hun. *hugs Torgrim* ^_^

Disclaimer: This is fanfiction, ne? So can you honestly say you believe they're mine?

Summary: What happens when the purest of the pure runs into the most tainted of them all?

Pairing: GaaraHaku

Rating: R (just to be safe, though I don't really believe it deserves more than PG-13)

Explanations:

"blah" = talking

//blah// = thoughts

**_blah_** = dreams

~ – ~ = changing point of view

_~No POV~_ = an in look in all characters' thoughts

*** = jump in time, not POV change

~ * ~ = jump in time, POV change

_~Flashback~_ = flashback 

_~End Flashback~_ = end of flashback

~ ~ ~ ~ = border

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Zabuza-san was dead… It wad so unbelievable. Haku truly refused to believe it. Just wouldn't face it. How could he live without Zabuza-san?

He wasn't sure where he was any longer, but he thought it had to be somewhere in the Fire Country. There was lots of forest here, at least… And according to the sun, he was headed northwest. Towards the Wind Country, in other words.

He didn't really care, though. Zabuza-san was dead, so why should he care about anything any longer?

Suddenly he couldn't move any longer. Something held his feet, and, looking down, he saw sand.

~ – ~

Gaara studied his 'captive'. There was a desperate look on the pretty face in front of him, but he had the feeling it had nothing to do with his presence.

Ignoring the strange feeling, he spoke up. "You are about to pass into Wind Country. What is your business here?"

The other looked at him, clearly confused. "Ano… Wind? I wasn't aware… I didn't know I'd come that far…"

The other's hitai-ate told him it was a Mist shinobi he had to deal with. A very confused Mist shinobi. Easy prey. "Your business with Wind. You still haven't answered."

"Business… with Wind…? N-none, really… Ano… I just… I just ended up here… I guess." There was a promise of tears beneath the words. Tears close to falling. Something inside Gaara slowly stirred, and it wasn't Shukaku.

He felt like he should try to comfort the other boy, but of course he didn't. Instead he suppressed the urge to rub at his temples, and said: "You need a reason to enter. I can't let you pass just like that."

"Ano… I guess not… ano… I-I'll just... I-if you'd release me… I'll just… head back… the way I came."  He looked down at his feet again, waiting.

Gaara just looked at him, thinking. "No, I don't think I can let you go." He didn't know why he said that, because there was nothing wrong in letting the other go, but something in him made him refuse to let the other go. It confused him.

And obviously, it made the other angry. "I'm not in your country yet, so you've got no right to keep me here. Let me go!" So very different from the uncertain stuttering earlier. Gaara readied himself for a fight. In other words, he crossed his arms across his chest and looked at the other with a scowl. Gave a slight shake of his head to indicate that he had no intentions of letting the other go.

The next movements the other boy did, surprised him to no end. He picked up a bottle of water and spilled it on the ground. Just like that. It made a little puddle, and in the middle of that he dropped the bottle, his other hand moving into a seal. A half seal.

"You do realize that you can't make seals with one hand, ne?" he asked curiously. //Is this boy stupid?//

The other ignored him, and as the bottle made splashes in the water, something burned against his skin. The sand didn't react. Gaara stared. He was actually a bit scared…

Gaara's reaction to the pain was, of course, to force the sand to react. It surprised him that it hadn't moved to stop whatever it was that kept coming at him, stinging like needles. His hands formed a seal, and the sand laid against him like a second skin. The stinging stopped, and so did the other's movement.

"What was that?" he demanded. The other didn't answer. Instead his hands had begun to form a new seal.

"Demonic ice mirrors." The other said softly, and all of a sudden Gaara was surrounded by tall mirrors made of ice, radiating a cold he never had felt before.

The sand that had held the other by the feet, had returned to his gourd, and now the other stepped INTO one of the ice mirrors. Suddenly he saw the other boy on all sides.

This time the sand reacted, as he suddenly stood in the middle of a needle rain. Senbon flew everywhere and from everywhere, and how the other managed it, was beyond Gaara. It annoyed him, and slowly he started to expand the sand shield, pushing against the mirrors. They didn't yield.

This only annoyed him even more, because it made him realize that he was caught in a cage of ice. Growling angrily, he made the sand expand even more, at high speed, trying to blow the mirrors out. It only partly worked.

A little less that half the mirrors were gone when the sand returned, but a lot of them still were there. Too many for safety…

He made a dash for one of the openings he'd made, when he saw that the mirrors he had blasted were reforming. And reforming rapidly. He cursed.

~ – ~

Haku's eyes widened in shock as the red haired boy blasted nearly half of his ice mirrors. He sent another needle rain towards the other before he remade the seal, replacing the destroyed mirrors with new ones. He'd never thought SAND could damage his ice.

He was having problems though. His mind was still clouded by tears, and so were his eyes. He couldn't get his thoughts of Zabuza-san and the fact that he was all alone in the world. Tears rose in his eyes again, and his vision blurred. It hurt so much to think about. Like a claw constantly tearing at his heart. 

Loosing concentration, he sank to his knees, stopping in one of the mirrors. Being very, very vulnerable.

He never noticed the sand breaking every single mirror, also the one he sat in. Didn't register falling to the ground. Didn't register strong arms carefully lifting him. Didn't register anything but the dull, stinging pain in his heart. He started sobbing brokenly into the chest he was held against.

Then everything went black.

***

The first thing he registered was something soft. Warm and enclosing. A bed with soft mattress and blankets.

Carefully opening his eyes and peering around showed him that he was in a small room. It was dark, the window telling him that it was night. He was also all alone.

Curiously and warily he got out of bed, realizing someone had taken off his gi(1) and shirt, leaving him in just his pants. Looking around, he spotted the rest of his clothes on a chair by the wall.

He pulled on the shirt, and realized that also his hair had been let down. The only thing missing was the mask, but as he recalled, he hadn't worn that since Zabuza-san had died. He shuddered at the memory.

_~Flashback~_

They stood atop of a small hill, surrounded by hostile shinobi. The Hunter-nins of Mist had finally caught up with them, after nine years.

"We probably won't win this fight, Haku. We'll try to get away."

"Hai, Zabuza-san."

That showed to be easier done than said. Mizu Bunshin would be useless, and it wouldn't help them to get away. Nothing would really help them to get away.

They started to fight, since that was unavoidable, but they were hard pressed.

And it was over all too soon.

A rain of shuriken. That shouldn't have been a problem, but every single shuriken, never mind size, had another shuriken hidden in its shadow, so for every shuriken they blocked, there was another to block that didn't appear until it was almost too late. 

The big ones weren't really a problem, they were easy to see, and when they were aware of the shadow shuriken, it was even easier, but the small ones were hard to see. Especially when they came on you from the back.

At a painful gasp from Zabuza, Haku turned sharply, just barely avoiding a couple of shuriken. Zabuza had six small shuriken deeply embedded in his back, blood running. As Haku watched in shock, another, slightly bigger one joined the first five. Zabuza fell to his knees, coughing.

Haku darted through the constant shower of shuriken and kneeled next to Zabuza. He felt a numbness slowly starting to spread through his limbs. There was so much blood.

"Zabuza-san… are you…" Haku didn't get any further in his inquiries. Zabuza reached up and grabbed him, pulling him close.

"Get out of here. Now." The bandage covering his face was bloodstained, and as he coughed again, the bloodstain got bigger. Haku just stared at him through the eye slits in his mask.

Zabuza reached up and pulled off the mask. "What are you waiting for? Go!" Throwing the mask aside, he pushed Haku up and away. "GO!"

Haku just stared at him. Then he realized that the shuriken shower had stopped. The Hunter-nins were watching him in anticipation. And he couldn't understand why they had stopped their assault. He would've been easy to take out now.

Slowly, Zabuza-san's words were sinking in, and he started to move. Towards the edges of the circle the Hunter-nins made. Through it, and for some strange reason they let him go.

He ran and ran, tears streaming down his face, knowing in his heart that Zabuza-san now was a dead man.

_~End Flashback~_

He hugged himself closely as the memories faded away. Wiping the newly shed tears from his cheeks, he made his way to the door and pushed it open.

He was standing in a corridor like hall, short with closed doors on both sides. A flight of stairs leading down at the end. He slowly walked over to it on silent, bare feet, constantly on guard.

It was dark all over, but his eyes had accustomed themselves to the light, and he saw quite clearly. 

At the bottom of the stairs, there were more doors, and spotting one that wasn't completely closed, he walked to it and carefully peered through. 

A candle was burning somewhere in the room, and aside from that, it seemed empty. But he wasn't sure, because he couldn't see all of the room.

"Just come on in. I already know you're there." He was startled by the voice. And his thoughts were confirmed too. There were indeed parts of the room he couldn't see from where he was standing.

Picking out a senbon from his clothing, he warily entered the room.

"Have you been awake for long?" the voice asked. And now he could see the source of the voice. It was the red haired boy that he had met earlier. And it disturbed him that the red haired boy would ask him how he'd been, because something told him that this boy didn't really care about others than himself. Why he thought so, he didn't know, but he couldn't shake the feeling.

"Ano… I just woke up…" he answered uncertainly.

"Ah… Did you have a nice sleep?"

He got more and more unsure, but hoped he managed to hide it from the other. "Hai. How long have I been sleeping?" The thought hadn't occurred to him before now, that maybe he'd been out for a long time.

"You've been in dream land for almost three days. You must be hungry." With that, the other stood up and motioned for him to sit down in a chair. "I'll make you something to eat." And then he left the room through a door he hadn't noticed before.

He did as he was told, and found out that it was blessedly good to sit down again. Apparently he was weaker than he'd thought. But if he'd been asleep for three days, it was no wonder.

What bothered him, though, was the other's kindness. Again, he didn't know why, but he felt that the other wasn't one to go out of his way to help others, so why he'd taken care of him, was beyond him.

The other came back into the room carrying a tray with some food on. It was put down at a little table between the chairs, and then he sat down in the chair opposite of Haku's. Watched him. "Go ahead. Eat."

He carefully reached for the food, uncertain if it was safe.

Something the other obviously realized, because he said "If I had wanted you dead, you think I would've taken the bother to bring you here? And if I'd brought you here, but still wanted you dead, I'd have plenty of opportunities while you were sleeping. The food is perfectly safe."

"O-of course! I didn't mean to be rude or anything… I just…" He smiled apologetically and started eating. 

Realizing that he was really hungry, it didn't take him long to empty the tray.

"Arigatou. That was very good." And he smiled again.

"Good. My name is Gaara." The other stated.

"I'm Haku. Nice to meet you." And he actually meant it. //He might seem like an uncaring person, but at least he had the grace to not let me lie there back at the road…//

"Hn…" Was all the response he got. //Just like Zabuza-san…// he realized. The thought made him shudder, and he wrapped his arms tightly around himself. //I shouldn't show weakness, but… I don't think… I can't just… Zabuza-san… forgive me… I should've… should've saved you…//

The other, Gaara, looked at him for a little while, before asking "Are you all right?"

"H-hai… I'm fine…" He closed his eyes tightly to try and stop the tears that threatened to fall. "I'm just… tired, I guess…"

"Naturally… It's getting late, after all." Said even though it had been less than an hour since he'd woke up, after three days of sleep.

Gaara got up, and Haku did the same. He followed Gaara out of the room and up the stairs. Gaara stopped in front of the door to the room Haku'd been sleeping in and said "Oyasumi. If there is something wrong…" Gaara made some incoherent gestures towards the next room. Haku nodded.

"Arigatou. Oyasumi nasai." He gave his 'host' another smile and went back into the room.

He was really tired, despite the fact he'd slept so much, so he pulled off his shirt, gathered up some senbon, and went to bed. The senbon were placed under his pillow, as security, though he had the feeling it wouldn't be necessary. He quickly fell asleep.

~ – ~

Gaara had no idea why he'd taken care of the stranger, Haku. //Haku… White, huh? Well, it seems to fit him…// 

He looked around the interiors of his room. A desk with a chair in front. A bed that never was in use. A big comfy-looking chair in a corner. A dresser. That was it. Still he felt as if the room was crowded. He sighed heavily and headed to the window.

He climbed to the roof, where he sat down to think. Or whatever… Because thinking seemed pointless when he wasn't available to collect his thoughts. Whenever he tried to think of something, a pretty face with big, dark eyes crossed his mind. Black silken hair (he knew because he'd taken the opportunity to feel it when Haku'd still been asleep). Pale skin and gentle features. Very pretty, in deed.

//And why am I thinking that!? I shouldn't think like that. He's a boy. Why am I thinking like that about another boy? I think… I think I actually find him… very… attractive… The HELL! What's wrong with me?// He groaned and hid his face in his hands. He could feel a major headache coming.

//He's just too damn pretty. Almost like a girl… But still… not a girl. Hell, I should just stop thinking… Wish I could sleep…// Silently he cursed Shukaku, praying it wouldn't get him in trouble. But… as long as he stayed awake… Not a danger… right?

Suddenly he heard sounds from down below. It'd been perfectly quiet, but now painful whimpers and choked sobs broke the serenity. He got up from his sitting place and headed back down again.

~ – ~

**_At a painful gasp from Zabuza, Haku turned sharply, just barely avoiding a couple of shuriken. Zabuza had six small shuriken deeply embedded in his back, blood running. As Haku watched in shock, another, slightly bigger one joined the first six. Zabuza fell to his knees, coughing._**

****

**_Haku darted through the constant shower of shuriken and kneeled next to Zabuza. He felt a numbness slowly starting to spread through his limbs. There was so much blood._**

****

**_"Zabuza-san… are you…" Haku didn't get any further in his inquiries. Zabuza reached up and grabbed him, pulling him close._**

****

**_"Get out of here. Now." The bandage covering his face was bloodstained, and as he coughed again, the bloodstain got bigger. Haku just stared at him through the eye slits in his mask._**

****

**_Zabuza reached up and pulled off the mask. "What are you waiting for? Go!" Throwing the mask aside, he pushed Haku up and away. "GO!"_**

****

**_Haku just stared at him. Then he realized that the shuriken shower had stopped. The Hunter-nins were watching him in anticipation. And he couldn't understand why they had stopped their assault. He would've been easy to take out now._**

****

**_Slowly, Zabuza-san's words were sinking in, and he started to move. Towards the edges of the circle the Hunter-nins made. Through it, and for some strange reason they let him go._**

****

He ran and ran, tears streaming down his face, knowing in his heart that Zabuza-san now was a dead man.

****

**_In the end he couldn't run any longer. He dropped to his knees with a broken sob, hugging himself and rocking back and forth. "What am I going to do now? Wha… What can I do…? Without… Zabuza-san…" His sobs became more and more hysteric, louder and louder._**

****

**_"ZABUZA-SAN!!! You… come back… please……………… please don't be dead… please don't… I love you, Zabuza-san… come back…" _**

****

**_He kept crying until he had no more tears, and then he slowly started to move again. He didn't know where he was going, didn't care either. Zabuza-san was dead, what more were there to life? Zabuza-san was dead…_**

****

"Haku?" He felt as if he should recognize the voice. It repeated his name again, more insistently. Slowly he followed the voice, and…

He sat up, gasping for air, his cheeks damp from tears, his throat coarse from the crying. He choked out "Zabuza-san…"

Then he remembered… Zabuza-san wasn't here. He closed his eyes tightly and hugged himself.

Then that voice again. "Are you all right?"

Slowly he opened his eyes again and looked around. By his bed stood a kid with red hair and pale green eyes. //I should know him…//

"Gaara…" He suddenly remembered. They'd fought. He'd… Zabuza-san… He drew in a ragged breath.

"Well? Are you all right?" Gaara sounded almost… concerned? And a bit annoyed. He shuddered.

"H-hai… I… I'm… fine…" he stuttered out.

"Hn… Doesn't sound fine to me…" Gaara sat down on the edge of the bed. "So, what is it really? 'Cause it is something. It has to be."

"I… iie… not really…" He didn't feel like talking about it. He didn't want to think that Zabuza-san was dead. He just wanted to ignore it all…

Gaara sighed. "You really ain't fooling anyone, you know that?"

"I… I don't want to… to talk about it…" //Now leave me alone!// His own thoughts made him gasp. //I have no right to be that… cruel! He's been really nice to me and all… I owe him an explanation… But… Iie. I have to…//

"Gomen…" he said resigned. "I… just…" Gaara waited. "I've just lost someone… someone precious to me… and…" He closed his eyes again, forcing the tears back. //I'm sorry… Zabuza-san… I'm weak. I shouldn't be weak… If I hadn't… hadn't been so weak… then maybe I could have… saved you… And then… then you… you would still… be with me. I'm so weak…// And he started to cry again.

~ – ~

Gaara didn't know what to do. The pretty face in front of him was twisted in pain, and tears ran down in rivers, it seemed. 

Uncertainly he reached out and placed his hand on Haku's arm. And the next thing he registered was Haku's arms tightly wound around him, still sobbing brokenly, wetting his shirt.

//Someone precious… Yashamaru… Emotional scars can only be healed by love…// He shook the thoughts off, but it kept coming back. //What's the point? I don't have any love to give to anyone. His someone precious…// Carefully he started stroking Haku's hair.

//It feels… good… So soft… He's warm… Human? I feel…// Gaara closed his eyes and carefully rocked the crying Haku, not understanding what he felt. It was incomprehensible, but still it felt right… It confused him, but he didn't care.

He made soft crooning sounds, hoping it was as soothing as he meant it to be. Haku had put him in a position it wasn't quite comfortable in, but still he didn't complain. Haku felt so soft and warm against him. He buried his face in Haku's soft hair.

They sat like that for a while, Haku's sobs dieing down to small sighs.

A little while after that, Gaara felt Haku's hand starting to stroke his back. It carefully pulled up his tee shirt, seeking the hot skin under. And he suddenly realized that Haku was bare-chested…

~ – ~

Haku wasn't sure what he was doing, just that Gaara's heat felt good against him. Comforting. It was just what he needed now.

He carefully tugged the white scarf (2) away and started to drag off the black tee shirt, leaving Gaara in just the mesh he had under.

Still not satisfied, he managed to tug that off too, and then leaned into Gaara, head on his shoulder, bare chest to bare chest. It felt like heaven…

Haku absorbed Gaara's heat like he was starving. Nuzzling closer and closer, just to get that warm, fuzzy feeling it gave him. It was truly exhilarating.

"H-Haku… what… what are we… doing…?" Gaara sounded very unsure, very nervous. He didn't like that, and thus started to stroke Gaara's back again, soothingly.

"Shhh… I don't know… I don't care… feels good…" He smiled and brushed his lips against Gaara's collarbone, not really knowing why. It just seemed like the right thing to do… Gaara shuddered.

//Why would he ask… what we are doing? What's wrong… with this? I've done this many times… with Zabuza-san… Demo… Zabuza-san is hotter… I think…// Incoherent thoughts. They just came. And they were true. Zabuza-san… his first and only love. His first and only lover. At least this far… But… Zabuza-san was dead.

He pulled in a big breath, forcing himself to stop the new tears that were forming in his eyes. Hugged Gaara even closer, if such a thing was possible. Closed his eyes and slowly dropped off to sleep.

~ – ~

Gaara could feel Haku's breath getting even. //He's… fallen asleep? How did he manage that?// But he didn't really mind. It felt good to hold the sleeping boy in his arms, so completely relaxed. It made him feel good… //As if he really trusted me…? He would have to trust me to manage to fall asleep in my arms, right?// He was confused, but didn't put Haku down. Just held him through the night.

~ * ~

The first thing Haku registered upon waking was that he was not alone. And that something very warm and comforting was very close to him. Slowly he opened his eyes.

Something pale, like skin, came into his view.

Carefully, silently, he asked "Zabuza-san?"

He didn't get a reply. He then carefully looked up, to gaze into a pair of pale green eyes. 

He gasped, suddenly remembering last night.

"G-Gaara…" he stuttered. Carefully pulled away. Couldn't help but whimper at the loss of the comforting warmth.

Gaara just looked at him. Then said "Who is this Zabuza-san? You keep saying his name in your sleep."

He looked down, then answered "He is… was… my precious person… Demo… he… he died…" //I will not cry again. I will not be weak.//

Strong arms wrapped around him again and pulled him close. "I'm sorry for your loss." Gaara mumbled.

"Arigatou…"

***

 Eventually the need for food forced them from the bed.

They pulled on shirts again and headed downstairs to the kitchen.

The kitchen was rather big, and extremely tidy. It almost made Haku nervous…

"What do you want for breakfast?" Gaara asked. He was rummaging through the refrigerator, looking for something edible.

"Ano…Whatever you've got… I don't want to be a problem…" He didn't know why he'd got nervous again, because they'd had such a nice, relaxed time up in the bedroom. Sun shining in, highlighting Gaara's red hair in beautiful ways, and making his eyes even paler, something that amused him to no end. But now he felt in the way.

"Hn… You're not a problem. I don't bring problems to my house." Gaara rummaged some more before sighing and asking "How does cereals sound? Cause I think I have milk that hasn't expired yet, but aside from that, I seriously need to go grocery shopping."

"Cereals sounds just fine, thank you." He smiled and looked at Gaara. Asked "Do you need help with anything?"

"Huh? Oh… Yeah, can you find some plates? One of those cupboards, I can never remember which. I always have to check…" Gaara blushed lightly as he said the last part.

"Ok." He walked over to the cupboards Gaara had indicated and opened them. In the first there were glasses and cups and small bowls. In the second there were plates of different kinds. He took out two deep ones for the cereals. 

//He's cute when he blushes…// He had no idea where the thought came from, and it almost caused him to drop the plates, but just in time he managed to prevent the catastrophe.

Blushing lightly, //Just like Gaara did// crossing his mind, he put the plates on the table and decided to search the drawers for some spoons.

That was a task that ended up simpler said that actually done. Because, he found out, even though the kitchen looked very tidy, it was a terrible mess under the surface, and in the drawers he found about everything **but** spoons.

"What are you looking for?" came from Gaara after a little while.

"Spoons."

"Spoons? Ano… try… the refrigerator?" Gaara blushed again, a fine crimson painting his cheeks.

He opened the refrigerator, and, actually finding a bunch of spoons in one of the veggie drawers, smiled brightly at Gaara. "Mission: Accomplished!" 

"Yeah. Now, let's eat."

"Sounds good."

They ate in silence, neither quite sure what to say. They both felt they were in a troublesome situation, and the night hadn't helped any either. All they knew was that there was something in the air, something at least Haku recognized as sexual tension. It reminded him of Zabuza.

//I think… I'm quite sure there is nothing in this house that, some way or another, will remind me of Zabuza-san. That is… not good.// He suppressed a shudder and went back to his cereals.

~ – ~

Gaara looked at Haku as they ate. He seemed far gone in thoughts. And Gaara realized he'd give quite a lot to know what was on the beautiful boy's mind. But he felt he couldn't ask. //That'd be prying… And when the Hell did I start to care about things like that? Kuso… My mind haven't worked properly since I took Haku here… Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all… And what about last night…?// He was getting frustrated, and outside, slowly, a sandstorm was building.

But he didn't notice that, not until his own sand came sneaking. He'd left his gourd back in his room, but the sand had a tendency to find its way out of there. Now it swirled around his feet, impatiently.

"Not now, Mother." He mumbled…

Haku looked up and asked "Did you say something?"

"Huh? Oh… iie. It was nothing."

"Ok." Haku returned to his cereals.

Gaara looked at his own plate of cereals, not even in the least hungry anymore. There was something in the air, something that he couldn't place. But it gave him goose bumps, which he didn't like at all.

He looked out the window, finally noticing the swirling sand outside. He sighed and got up, saying "There's a sandstorm coming. Just finish your meal, I'll go and take a look around the house, check if everything is in order. Hopefully it won't last for long. We don't have that much food, and even though it's just sand, it's deadly."

Haku nodded and he left.

On his round around the house, now with his gourd back in place just in case, his thoughts swirled even faster than the sand that encircled his feet. //Mother is hungry… I can't really blame her…//

He made sure all the windows were closed and hatched, all the doors locked and anything lying around he took inside. //What is this feeling…? Haku didn't seem to notice it, and if he did, he's very, very good at hiding his feelings. I don't think he is, though… He seems too emotional. Demo… It's uncomfortable, but at the same time, it feels kind of good… That just doesn't make any sense. Mother wants blood, that can become a problem if the storm keeps up for too long. I won't let her hurt Haku. I kind of like Haku. Somehow I feel we've got more in common than I'd ever believe. How can that be? He seems so pure and innocent. Nothing like me. If I should guess, I'd almost say he's never killed before in his life… Demo, that can't be true. He just seems so damn pure… Like… I don't know. At least his name fits him perfectly. Haku. White. Heh…//

Suddenly he realized he was on his second round around the house, and finally managed to shake his thoughts. He walked back in and found Haku in the kitchen cleaning up.

"Just leave that. You don't have to do it." He told Haku.

Haku just smiled. "It's the least I can do for being allowed to stay here."

"Hn… It's not exactly as if I can throw you out in this sandstorm, now is it…" //Now why would I think that? It wouldn't be the first time I'd done that…//

"Arigatou. But I prefer to make myself useful."

"Very well then. It's not as if I'm complaining… Cause if you don't do it, that just means I'll have to do it myself later." And he actually smiled! //What did I just do!?//

Haku smiled back and said "You should smile more often, you know that?" And then he blushed.

Gaara stared. //What!? I should smile more!?// "Naze?"

Haku just blushed even more. Then he stuttered "Be-because you… you're… you're pretty when you smile…" Haku was now red as a tomato, and he hid his face in his hands.

And Gaara was also sporting a pretty red.

"Ano… thanks, I guess?" He stuttered. Haku removed his hands and smiled.

~ – ~

They had nothing more to do in the kitchen, and they couldn't exactly leave the house, so they made their way to the small room they had occupied the previous night.

Haku now noticed that it was a small library, and the room had no windows. It was dark even in the middle of the day.

A red light illuminated the room, giving it a sort of spooky atmosphere. But at the same time it was cozy.

There were two doors leaving the room, one leading to the hall behind them and one going to another room. It was through that door Gaara had gone last night to get him something to eat, so he suspected it was some kind of kitchen or kitchenette. Probably the latter. Aside from that, the walls of the room were lined with bookcases, full of books and scrolls.

There were two deep, cozy chairs in the room, next to a small table, and something that looked like a mini-bar was standing off to one side.//Huh… I didn't think he'd be one to drink…//

Gaara motioned to the chairs, and they sat down.

He suddenly wished he had the rest of his clothes under control, but he hadn't seen his gear since the border. He felt very uncomfortable in the clothes he was wearing at the time. He decided to ask.

"Ano… Gaara?"

"Hai?"

"At the border, I had a… a bag-like thing… with clothes and weapons and stuff… D-do you… know what… happened with that?" He hadn't thought he'd be that nervous to ask such a thing, but he could feel himself blush. He hoped it went unnoticed in the red light of the room.

"Ah, yes… If you'd taken the time to check the closet in your room, you'd found it there." And Gaara grinned.

He blushed, deep red, this time Gaara was bound to notice, and mumbled "A-arigatou… I… I didn't think… about that…"

"Hn. Well, it's in the closet."

He nodded and, mumbling something about clothes, got up with an apologetic smile.

He could feel Gaara's eyes on his back as he left the room.

***

Gaara had been right. That made him feel even more bothered. //Why didn't I think about that? What is more natural than to put clothes and such in a closet?//

He took out his 'bag-like thing' and pulled out some better clothes. Changed into his sleeveless kimono.

His hair was still hanging down, and he decided to keep it that way. It felt more comfortable and off-duty that way.

He was barefoot, had been the entire day, a thing that made him a bit… jumpy. He wasn't used to walking around without shoes. Together with Zabuza-san he'd seldom stayed in houses, more likely than not sleeping in some forest or some-such.

He headed down to the library and Gaara again.

~ – ~

Gaara was thinking. Thinking about Haku. Again. //How come he's got such an effect on me? He's making me act completely out of character. Normally I'm not like this. Absolutely not like this. I should be more careful. He could turn out to be dangerous…// Before he'd reentered the kitchen after coming in again, he'd disposed of the gourd in his room again. Mother didn't like it. He ignored her. Or at least he tried to.

"Try to understand, Mother. You cannot have his blood. I don't care how sweet it'd taste. He is mine, Mother." The last statement he'd made to Mother shocked him. //He's **mine**!? What the Hell has gotten into me? Demo, at least Mother can**not** have him.//

He looked up as he felt Haku come back. Or at least he presumed it was Haku that came in through the door…

Haku was wearing a beautiful sleeveless kimono the color of peach with black spirals on. If he hadn't known that Haku was a boy, he might very well have mistaken him for a really beautiful girl.

"Miss me?" Haku teased. //Teasing? It's as if his personality's changed… Or maybe I'm just being paranoid.//

"A bit." He answered Haku's question, surprising himself by playing along. //What the Hell am I doing!?// He seemed to be asking himself that very often of lately…

Haku sat down in the empty chair and looked at him. Then said "You look surprised. Is something amiss?"

"No, not at all. You just… You're looking really stunning, you know that?" //WHAT!!? Now, why the HELL did I say that!?// He did his best to hide his shock at his own words.

Haku smiled and blushed lightly. "Thank you." //He's very sweet when he blushes like that…// Again, his thoughts gave him a little shock. He had no idea where they all came from. And if they didn't stop coming, he was really going to make a fool out of himself. That was **not** something he wanted to.

They sat in silence for a while, Haku because he didn't know what to say, and Gaara because he was terrified he was going to say something stupid again.

But after a while the silence was getting uncomfortable.

"Ne…"

"Ano…"

Both stopped. A smile crossed Haku's lips, and Gaara sighed. This really wasn't going his way…

"Ano… You first…" Haku insisted.

"Well… I think I forgot…" He had to admit.

Haku smiled. "Well, me then… Though it's not really interesting…"

"Go ahead…"

"Ano… How long do you think this sandstorm's going to last?"

"Huh? The storm? I honestly have no idea. Sometimes they last for an hour or so, and sometimes they can last for weeks. Though I hope it won't last for weeks… We will starve if that's the case."

"Hm… And there is no way we can get out of here before it's passed?"

"Hn. Not unless you want a lungful of sand…" He sighed. // I could probably make it to Sand Village with Mother's help, but I don't really want to. Being caught here together with Haku doesn't seem like such a bad thing…// And yet again his thoughts startled him. //I think I'm going crazy…//

~ – ~

Haku looked at Gaara, noticed the troubled look on his face. //He shouldn't frown like that… He's so pretty when he smiles. But I don't think I should say that to him…// He was a bit confused by his own thoughts, but accepted them. As long as they were true, then what was the problem?

Suddenly he got an idea. He quickly realized that it was probably a bad idea, but nonetheless… Maybe it'd get that frown off of Gaara's face. And maybe it would just make things worse…

Before his pessimistic thoughts had the chance to kill the idea, he leaned over to Gaara and carefully brushed his lips against Gaara's cheek in a light kiss.

Gaara just stared at him. He blushed. //Well… at least he's not frowning any more…//

"Gomen…" he whispered and looked away.

Then, a warm hand carefully touched his chin, turning him back towards Gaara. And before he knew what had happened, a pair of soft lips were pressed against his own.

It wasn't the first time he'd been kissed. Zabuza-san had kissed him many times, but this… this was very different. //Softer than Zabuza-san's lips. Much softer…//

He couldn't help himself, he just had to kiss back. And he did it quite intensely and demandingly too…

His hands found their way to Gaara's hair, tangling in the red spikes, holding him close.

It was a good kiss. Probably one of the better he'd ever gotten. So soft and sweet, and at the same time very demanding.

And it lasted for quite some time. It wasn't broken until the need for oxygen forced them to part. With a gasp, they did.

"Oh my God…" Gaara mumbled. "What just happened?"

He smiled at Gaara. "You just kissed me…" Gaara blushed.

Then something new came into Gaara's eyes. "And you… you kissed me back."

He giggled. "I guess I did…"

The kiss had left him with a desire for more. More kisses and more than just kisses. Touching and preferably sex. Making him feel alive, feel real. Feel wanted.

He stood up and offered Gaara a hand. "Come. Let's go up."

Gaara complied without a word, just took his hand and followed.

He went to the room he's gotten, tugging Gaara to the bed.

  
"It's quite warm despite the storm, isn't it?" he innocently asked Gaara.

"Hn. Yes, it is indeed…" Gaara seemed genuinely confused. "Normally it gets cold when the sandstorms come…"

He didn't say anything, even though he would bet quite a lot on the reason to the heat. It probably was much colder than any of them felt. But rushing blood does do something to the apparent air temperature…

_~No POV~_

They were both sitting on the bed, looking at each other, Haku with an innocent smile on his face, and Gaara with a slightly confused look.

Both seemed unsure as to how to continue.

Haku was the one who broke the 'ice'. With an unsure little laugh, he leaned towards Gaara and carefully kissed him. On the lips.

Gaara was a bit startled, but kissed back nonetheless.

As the kiss lingered on, hands started to pull carefully at clothes, undressing. Hot skin met hot skin, and it felt like electricity sparkled across their bodies.

Outside, the storm got even bigger.

***

The sandstorm lasted for a week. And neither of them complained at all. It was a very warm week, despite the sandstorm that roared outside. Hot, sweaty week.

But they were glad when the storm calmed, nonetheless. Because they were running extremely short on food… Had it lasted any longer, they would've been forced to brave the storm to get to a village to get food.

But now the desert was calm again, the sun shining calmly down, heating everything up. Shining down on two wanderers, headed for the Hidden Sand Village.

From a distance they seemed to be two ordinary people, out to take a walk in the deadly desert. But… Nobody strayed too far into the desert unless they had to.

On a closer look, it was clear that it was two adolescent boys, walking hand in hand without shame.

One was known and feared in those areas, the other totally unknown.

The known, feared one had red hair, cut short, going everywhere. Looked younger than he was. But his eyes, they weren't young. They were frightening. A bluish lime color, eyes outlined with distinct black rings. He didn't seem to have gotten too much sleep of lately. Or rather, didn't seem to have slept for the last year or ten. Or fifteen… His face was emotionless, though something flicked across it whenever he looked at his companion. Not too tall, slim, dressed in black. A gourd on his back.

The other one, the unknown, was pretty. There was no better word, though maybe beautiful would have been more right. Long black hair hung down in two braids (3) at the sides of his face, and the rest of his hair was gathered in a bun on top of his head. He wore grayish green pants and shirt with stripes on, and a black gi. He still managed to look like a very pretty girl.

Neither of them seemed to be armed, but anyone who knew the redhead, knew that as long as there were sand, there were weapons. As for the other… Well, let's just say he'd be a surprise… A big surprise.

When the two wanderers reached Hidden Sand, they attracted eyes. Many eyes. Neither of them seemed to care, though.

Then, "Gaara!"

The redhead turned around, looking at a blonde young woman. He just looked.

"Gaara… We've been worried. The storm…"

"Would hardly be a problem, now would it."

The other one looked at the blonde too, but she didn't seem to have noticed him. He reminded quiet, letting the redhead, Gaara, talk.

Or glare, as was the case.

The blonde looked nervous, but no one could really blame her for that, now could they? It was, after all, a very dangerous person she was talking to.

"Well… We weren't sure whether you had any food left…"

"You know, Temari, if I'd wanted, walking through the desert wouldn't have been a problem even with the storm, had I felt for it. I just didn't." This is what he could have said.

This is what he did say, though. "Hn."

Then the blonde seemed to notice the other boy. She stared for a little while, making the boy uncomfortable, before asking "Who's that?"

Gaara just glared at her again, and left it to the other to answer the question.

Which the other did. "I'm Haku." It was, after all, as simple as that.

The blonde looked at him, before she suddenly said "You look like a girl." Then she gasped and covered her mouth with her hands, staring.

The boy, Haku, glared.

What shocked the blonde the most though, or rather, what upset her the most, was Gaara's reaction. He gave a snort that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, and shook his head, mumbling "Whatever he is, he is definitely **not** a girl." Haku blushed.

"Ano… Gaara?" Haku said softly, drawing the redhead's attention. "Shouldn't we… get some food or something?"

"Hn. Yeah, I suppose."

And thus, ignoring the blonde completely, Gaara led the way further down the street.

***

They stayed in Hidden Sand for a few days, making people uncomfortable. Gaara really didn't have the best of reputation, but it didn't seem to bother him.

It bothered Haku, though.

Haku, with his innocence and purity and friendly, warm, caring heart was deeply concerned on his lover's behalf. He even went to the point of talking to some of the worse citizens. 

Despite Gaara's warnings.

~ – ~

Haku slowly approached the men gathered on the street.

//Is this such a good idea after all?// he wondered tentatively. It probably wasn't, he decided, but he couldn't back down now.

"Excuse me." He spoke softly, drawing the men's attention to him.

The whispering started.

_"It's the…"_

_"...yes, Gaara-sama's…"_

_"…what would he…"_

_"…let's…"_

_"…no, we listen…"_

_"…he doesn't look…"_

_"…under the…"_

_"…like a…"_

_"…should we…"_

_"…to pretty…"_

_"…Gaara-sama's…"_

_"…why would…"_

_"…is it a he…"_

_"…what is he…"_

_"…listening to…"_

_"…dangerous…"_

_"…Gaara-sama would…"_

_"…belongs to…"_

_"…dangerous…"_

On and on, around the same subjects. He tired of it. Spoke up again.

"Excuse me, but… could you please tell me… why you act so hostile around Gaara?"

_"…hostile…"_

_"…demon…"_

_"…doesn't he know…"_

The whisper continued.

"And I would appreciate if you'd talk to me instead of whispering between yourselves." He politely pointed out.

"You do know what Gaara-sama is, right?" one of the men asked.

"Hai, I know. Does it matter? He doesn't hurt you, does he?"

"Not now, no. But he has before, and can again."

"So, you're afraid of him?"

_"…ask if we're…"_

_"…is he stupid…"_

_"…who isn't…"_

"Who isn't afraid of Gaara-sama? Gaara-sama is dangerous. Very dangerous."

"But that isn't a reason to treat him like dirt." He, still politely, pointed out. "Gaara can be quite nice, actually."

This last statement made the men stare at him. Then they started to surround him. And the whispers went on.

_"…nice…"_

_"…delusional…"_

_"…need assistance…"_

_"…help…"_

_"…get rid of…"_

_"…maybe…"_

_"…immobilize him…"_

_"…take him out…"_

_"…shall we…"_

_"…but Gaara-sama…"_

_"…belongs to…"_

_"…would get upset…"_

_"…dangerous…"_

_"…doesn't matter…"_

_"…is right…"_

_"…take him…"_

_"…yes…"_

_"yes"_

"YES" 

This was getting uncomfortable, he decided. He warily grabbed a pair of senbon.

Then, tendrils of sand started to flow around the men surrounding him. It seemed only he had noticed it.

One of the men lunged for him. He threw one of the senbon, targeting the nervous points in the man's neck. It didn't kill, but he wouldn't be walking around for a week or so.

Then the sand tightened around the man's falling body. Held it up. Squeezed. The other men backed up.

But too late. The sand bound them, immobilizing them. Lifting them.

They were dead before they hit the ground again.

~ – ~

Gaara looked calmly at Haku through the 'shower' of bodies.

"Was that really necessary?" Haku asked angrily.

"Hn." Was all the answer Gaara gave.

He walked up to Haku and wrapped an arm around him.

"Come." And with that, he guided Haku away from 'the scene of crime'.

_~No POV~_

It all resulted in a very careful request, from a very afraid Kazekage, for them to leave the village again.

Gaara didn't care either way, and Haku just nodded.

Thus they gathered what they would need and made their way back across the desert.

~ – ~

Gaara looked around his own kitchen, noticing Haku's almost frantic movements as he sorted through cupboards, drawers and refrigerator. Put things where they belonged.

He sighed and asked softly "Can't that wait? We have better things we should be doing. Like messing up the bedroom."

Haku turned towards him, and, blushing, nodded. "Maybe you're right. It can wait."

Gaara grinned, startling Haku, and reached a hand out for Haku to take.

It was good to be home.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

(1): I don't know what to call that coat of his, so I guess gi is as good a guess as any.

(2): I think it's white. It is white right? And it's not attached to the gourd, is it?

(3): I don't have a better word for those 'braids' of his. But I know they're not really braided.

A/N: Whew. That took some time… *grins* Hope you enjoyed it. If I get requests for it, I might try to make a lemon version of this to post on aff.net but can't promise it. I'm just not good at writing lemon. R&R

Ja ne~ 


End file.
